English: Verbania-Intra (Italy). Plaque commemorating the first steam looms operating in Italy, beginning with 1808. Several circumstances (abundance of water, wood, manpower, easy transport routes, a previous tradition in manufacture) made possible in 19th century a boom in textile workshops. With more than a bit of exhaggeration Intra was therefore dubbed "the Italian Manchester". Picture by Giovanni Dall'Orto, September 8 2007.